Criminal Justice Division

The Criminal Justice Division (CJD) promotes strategies that improve and support criminal justice efforts across Texas by directing funding to first responders and service providers through the administration of grants from a variety of state and federal sources. Resources are dedicated towards programs that protect people from crime, reduce the number of crimes committed, respond to the needs of crime victims and promote accountability, efficiency, and effectiveness within the criminal justice system. To accomplish this mission CJD employs the following principles:

Guiding Principles:

Fiscal Responsibility, Accountability, and Transparency

As a steward of state and federal funds, CJD employs sound management practices and controls to ensure that programs supported by CJD can be fiscally and programmatically successful.

Staff are also available to provide guidance and technical assistance when necessary.

Target Funding to Achieve the Greatest Impact

CJD engages in comprehensive planning efforts at the state, regional and local levels to identify priorities based upon reliable data driven analysis of crime and population trends affecting Texas communities.

Other factors considered when determining funding distribution include the eligibility, reasonableness, and cost-effectiveness of proposed projects.

CJD maintains interlocal agreements with each of the 24 Regional Councils of Governments (COGs) across the state. Under these agreements, the COGs are charged with providing funding recommendations to CJD for local applications based upon priorities identified within the COG’s region as a result of local planning efforts.

CJD staffs the Juvenile Justice Advisory Board, Texas Crime Stoppers Council, Specialty Courts Advisory Council and the Criminal Justice Advisory Council. Members of these groups are appointed by the Governor and advise and assist CJD in matters related to improving the coordination, administration, operation, performance and effectiveness of the criminal justice system.

CJD works closely with United States Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs and Office on Violence Against Women to apply for and promote federal funding for criminal justice and public safety initiatives in Texas.

See CJD’s Guide to Grants for more information on applying for and managing grants. Appendix B of this guide contains a complete list of program descriptions and requirements.